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The Duck Build.

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englewoodcowboy

englewoodcowboy

Lick Creek Restorations
Joined
Jul 25, 2010
Messages
4,200
I hear you on that! The hinges have so much movement that it is really tough to get them perfect. I went rounds with mine and even noticed differences swapping hinges from top to bottom .... Who knows? I got mine close enough to proceed but will wrestle it one more time when i do my final body prep prior to paint. Before painting i am planning to drill a couple alignment holes to help get them back to the same spot.


That is exactly my plan at the moment. Get them dialed in and drill an alignment hole. I am going to drill next to a bolt so the bolt washer will hide it when finished. I am planning on using the stainless hinges in the end but my current hinges will be used then carefully swap them out when done is the plan.... I will just keep learning as I go.
 

NicksTrix

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 1, 2001
Messages
6,387
don't forget once you put all the glass and mechanisms in, the door will hang differently.
 

clarrance

Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 3, 2005
Messages
2,674
That is exactly my plan at the moment. Get them dialed in and drill an alignment hole. I am going to drill next to a bolt so the bolt washer will hide it when finished. I am planning on using the stainless hinges in the end but my current hinges will be used then carefully swap them out when done is the plan.... I will just keep learning as I go.

Different hinges will make the door hang different. Also to align the rear bottoms of the doors the bed sides can be adjusted as well.
 
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englewoodcowboy

englewoodcowboy

Lick Creek Restorations
Joined
Jul 25, 2010
Messages
4,200
don't forget once you put all the glass and mechanisms in, the door will hang differently.


Then it sounds to me that I have it close and that is good enough because things will change as they are being assembled etc. from an empty shell. I know I am not keeping my original hinges, we rebuilt them and they have a little slop in them individually. When they are tied tot he door there is no movement I can notice but I also think the stainless hinges will add a little shiny bling to break things up. :)
 

Bferrari

Sr. Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2013
Messages
856
What are you using right now for body mounts? I had found that minor variations in the mounts can have significant impacts on my body lines. I went ahead and put new mounts in prior to doing my door alignment.
 
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englewoodcowboy

englewoodcowboy

Lick Creek Restorations
Joined
Jul 25, 2010
Messages
4,200
Right now I am using the stock rubber mounts and the body is just pegged to the frame with old screwdrivers etc. I spoke with Nick this am and I think I have it pretty close, I will try tweaking it a little more but I know all of my gaps are even and uniform, the window frame is just behind the drip edge of the windshield and the only un-even area is the lower rear corner about the width of the sheet metal. I know I can pop some welds loose on the rear quarter and move it out slightly or just use filler to make things block out. For filler, the thickest it would be is maybe a 1/16" so it is very workable as it is. Chad and Nick both pointed out how they will change when I change my hinges, add the guts it the door as well as the new mounts and having it sitting on all fours. I think it will be good enough for me. I know I have seen some nice broncos and the doors never were 100% perfect fit so I need to not have my expectations so high for that. I am not by any means looking for that perfect gap, just want it when you walk up to it to look perfect or damn near it. Another guy built his on here and he said he spent weeks welding, cutting grinding to get that perfect gap everywhere and the fact is these things were never meant to fit that tight from the beginning. Andy sent me a panel tolerance guide out of a ford manual on them and the total tolerances fro some gaps were as much as a 1/2" total... Either way I know it will be a lot nicer, better fit etc. then any of them ever had the day they rolled off of the assembly line.
 
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englewoodcowboy

englewoodcowboy

Lick Creek Restorations
Joined
Jul 25, 2010
Messages
4,200
Well today was a eureka moment. After chatting with my bronco friends and re-examining things, I got a call this afternoon from Andy. He is the Bronco Whisperer and what he suggested fixed my issue. Something so simple but I could not see it. Thanks for the help and ideas from all of my bronco brothers!
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https://vimeo.com/113977262
 

NGABronco

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Feb 4, 2007
Messages
7,361
Loc.
N. GA now South Carolina
Looking good Tom!!!! When you order all those bolts, get a hand full of big washers (2" w/a 1/2" hole) then you can shim that body were it needs to be on the frame!!!%)%)%)
 
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englewoodcowboy

englewoodcowboy

Lick Creek Restorations
Joined
Jul 25, 2010
Messages
4,200
I will see if both sides are sagged and will pull from the bottom of one side to the top of the other, hopefully go a little past and it will settle where it should be. When I build my roll cage, I will tie it into the sides for support. It really was only one click and the strap was not tight so they just sag a little and I do not think it will take much to make it stay.
 
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englewoodcowboy

englewoodcowboy

Lick Creek Restorations
Joined
Jul 25, 2010
Messages
4,200
Not much to show picture wise as I have done some more fitting and grinding. I'm so looking forward to be beyond this part. I'm tired of blowing boogers that could rust....
 
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englewoodcowboy

englewoodcowboy

Lick Creek Restorations
Joined
Jul 25, 2010
Messages
4,200
Thanks Ben.. it was one of those point of no return moments but it gave, I saw what it was trying to do, now I can pop it back off and work it a little and make it better. I dont want to have to do that too often though... LOL
 

broncoitis

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 23, 2010
Messages
4,449
Hey Tom,
Lookin good with the build. Your coming along for sure and it's gonna be nice. Keep it up!
 
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englewoodcowboy

englewoodcowboy

Lick Creek Restorations
Joined
Jul 25, 2010
Messages
4,200
I finally got the dash stripped and started another mod thanks to BFerrari... Now I have More holes to fill...
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englewoodcowboy

englewoodcowboy

Lick Creek Restorations
Joined
Jul 25, 2010
Messages
4,200
Well a little tip I will share fitting fenders to the grill. This may help some, it could be the way others do it but I do not recall reading about it anywhere so what I found is to set the fenders on but move them 1 to 2 holes forward and put a bolt in loose. Then attach the grill to the fender and work the edges to line up as you tighten the bolts getting the lines perfect. Then with help (if painted is a must) move them back and lip them over the door post. I did this by myself this am and am now very happy with my gaps.
 
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